Debunking Three Common Myths About Car Repair and Maintenance

Posted on 10/30/2014

Debunking Three Common Myths About Car Repair and Maintenance

Despite what every action director likes to showcase for shock value, shooting a bullet at a car’s gas tank won’t cause the entire vehicle to explode. Similarly, using your cell phone while pumping gas won’t trigger a grand mushroom cloud of fuel-soaked carnage that spans a city block. These are popular myths film and television like to propagate because they make convenient plot devices. The truth is that cars are more resilient than most fictional portrayals give them credit for. However, that doesn’t mean you can skimp out on regular auto maintenance services, either. A good car can last you 10 years or more, but it takes plenty of preventative care on your part to make that happen. Whether it’s domestic or foreign car repair you’re after, keep in mind these popular maintenance myths to help save your engine (while saving yourself some money). Myth #1: You should always change your oil every 3,000 miles. This one probably dates back to the first time your dad handed you to keys to the family’s Chrysler LeBaron in 1987. “Every three months or every 3,000 miles,” he probably told you, but while that might have been true for the cars of his generation, it’s simply not the case anymore. Experts agree that cars manufactured after the year 2000 or so can run longer (even up to 7,500 miles) without an oil change due to upgraded equipment and better preventative maintenance on the part of the driver. You could always check your own oil, too, in order to save some cash on the car repair estimates. Myth #2: Premium gasoline will help your car perform better. It’s got a fancier name, but premium gasoline won’t really give your car a boost. Studies have found that most cars operate to their fullest potential with regular unleaded fuel, even those that dictate that they need premium gas to run. Premium really just helps prevent pre-ignition problems, according to Consumer Reports. So if you’re trying to get more drive, try more efficient oil, not flashier fuel. But if your car requires premium to run, you can’t neglect it. Myth #3: One mechanic’s word is as good as another. Your ride breaks down, and the car repair estimates are totally affordable. Huge win for thriftiness, right? Wrong. In fact, potentially hazardously wrong. Not all car repair services are created equal, and car repair estimates from one garage might be completely different than what they’d be at another. It’s better to shop around and get a handful of quotes to compare than choose the first one simply because it’s convenient. For the safety of your car (and yourself), it pays to do a little research and consult multiple car repair shops. Of course, in the world of auto advice, these tips are merely scratching the surface. Tell us: What’s your favorite car repair myth?